What to Know About the NCAA Golf Championships

For the first time in the history of the event the NCAA Golf Championships are coming to Northwest Arkansas. The women’s championship tees it up first with the practice round on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at Blessings Golf Club with the first round beginning on Friday morning at 7:15 a.m. The men’s championship begins with the practice round on Thursday, May 23 at 9 a.m. with the first round set for Friday, May 24 at 6:50 a.m. So how does all of this work? How do we end up with an individual and team champion and where does match play fit in to finding a champ? We’ve got the answers to those questions and more.

How do the NCAA Golf Championships work?
First, there are 24 women’s teams along with 12 individuals, who qualified at Regionals, in the field and will be 30 men’s teams along with six individuals when the teams arrive for their practice rounds. The field will play four rounds of stroke play just like the pros but beginning on Friday (Women – May 17, Men – May 24) and finishing on Monday (Women – May 20, Men – May 27). After three rounds, the women’s field will be trimmed from 24 to 15 teams and the men’s side will go from 30 teams to 15. At the conclusion of stroke play two things will happen, the individual with the lowest score over the four rounds will be crowned the national champion and the top eight teams with the lowest team scores will move onto match play with the lowest team score taking on the eighth-lowest and on down the seeding (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5). Three rounds of stroke play begin Tuesday (Women – May 21, Men – May 28) and that first day is a long one. Teams will be prepared to play 36 holes with the winning teams from that morning moving onto a final four in the afternoon. The national championship match will be played out on Wednesday (Women – May 22, Men – May 29) with the winning team taking home the team trophy.

When are the Razorbacks on the course?
The women’s championship field is set with the Razorbacks scheduled to tee off on Thursday for a practice round as a team at 9:30 a.m. on Hole 7. On Friday for the first round of stroke play, members of Shauna Taylor’s squad will tee it up on No. 1 at 1:01, 1:12, 1:23, 1:34 and 1:45. For a full look at the week’s tee times click here and follow @RazorbackWGolf on Twitter for updates to the schedule as the week advances.

The men’s championship field is still a work in progress with Regionals set to wrap up on Wednesday. Julian Perico will represent the Razorbacks as an individual.

How much are tickets?
Sorry, we forgot to mention tickets are FREE thanks to the generosity of Tyson Foods and the Tyson Family.

How do I get there?
Blessings Golf Club is located in northwest Fayetteville on Highway 112. On your smart phone, type in 5826 Clear Creek Boulevard, Fayetteville, AR 72704 and let Siri do the rest. Or if you’re old school:

Where can I park?
Parking is also FREE. There are two main public parking locations as well as an overflow lot. Signs will direct you to the locations, one off Highway 112 near Clear Creek Boulevard and the other off Greathouse Springs Road/Johnson Mill Boulevard.

What can I bring into the event and what can I not bring?
This event will be similar to Razorback events on campus.

Spectator Rules
1. No smoking anywhere on the course.
2. All cell phones should be placed on silent mode including NO shutter sound for photos. Spectators should not talk on cell phones when on the course.
3. The taking of photos is permitted. No flash, live streaming or shot-by-shot coverage are allowed.
4. Spectators should stay on the cart paths or in the rough, at least 15 yards from the players.
5. Spectators should be aware of play behind them.
6. In the event play is suspended for a dangerous situation (one long air horn blast) spectators should immediately seek shelter.
7. Evacuation transportation (vans, carts, etc.) are for players, coaches and officials ONLY.

Will there be food available for purchase?
Yes, there will be three concession stands – one at the entry and two on the course.

What if I can’t make it? Is it on TV?
Yes, the Golf Channel has you covered on Monday, May 20 for the women’s individual championship and Monday, May 27 for the men’s individual championship.